High speed electrical counter

ABSTRACT

This is a high speed non-electronic counter having a solenoid to trigger a spring driven counter mechanism. The counter mechanism comprises a numerated disc and a coil spring driven wafer having spring loaded detent pins each of which engage a stop mechanism to position the numbers on the disc. Actuation of the solenoid disengages the detent from the stop to permit the coil spring to rotate the wafer and disc until the next detent engages the stop mechanism thereby positioning the number corresponding to the position of the pin and stop.

United States Patent Knight Oct. 24, 1972 154] HIGH SPEED ELECTRICALCOUNTER [72] Inventor: John H. Knight, Dayton, Ohio [73] Assignee:Simmonds Precision Products, lne.,

'larrytown, NY.

[22] Filed: March 19, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 126,117

[52] 0.8. C1 ..235/92 F, 235/91 A. 235/92 R [51] Int. Cl ..G06m 1/10[58] FleldotSeereh .235/92 F,9l A; 58/116 [56] References Cited UNlTEDSTATES PATENTS 1,744,259 1/1930 Carlson ....................235/92 F3,567,912 3/1971 Neild........................235/92 F 2,806,574 9/1957Higonnet..................235/92 F Primary Examiner-Maynard R. WilburAssistant Examiner-Robert F. Gnuse Attorney-Edwin E. Greigg 7] ABSTRACTThis is a high speed non-electronic counter having a solenoid to triggera spring driven counter mechanism. The counter mechanism comprises anumerated disc and a coil spring driven wafer having spring loadeddetent pins each of which engage a stop mechanism to position thenumbers on the disc. Actuation of the solenoid disengages the detentfrom the stop to permit the coil spring to rotate the wafer and discuntil the next detent engages the stop mechanism thereby positioning thenumber corresponding to the position of the pin and stop.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures HIGH SPEED ELECTRICAL COUNTER BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION In a standard solenoid operated counter the powergenerated by the solenoid is used to operate the counter mechanism, and,since it is desirable to have counters operate as quickly as possible,numerous ways have been devised for increasing the speed of operation.For example, the solenoid return spring is made larger to move thecounter quicker but this then requires a larger solenoid. Another schemeis to have the solenoid move a counter only part way upon energizationand have the return spring move the counter the remaining part of theway when the solenoid is deenergized. Still another scheme is to employvarious linkages which maximize the speed of response of the counter tothe energization of the solenoid.

The invention disclosed herein differs from the foregoing prior artschemes since it does not rely on the power generated by the solenoid tooperate the counter but utilizes the solenoid only to trigger thecounter. This concept is carried out in this invention as describedherein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the embodiment disclosed thecounter is provided with a disc upon which numerals are printed orotherwise suitably affixed thereto and a coil spring biased wheel orwafer having spring loaded detent pins each of which engage a stopmechanism to position the wafer and disc against movement by the coilspring. These pins are engagable by the solenoid plunger uponenergization of the solenoid to disengage the detent pins from the stopto permit the coil spring to rotate the wafer and disc until the nextdetent engages the stop thus positioning a number to be counted ordisplayed corresponding to the position of the disc and detent pin.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a high speedmechanical solenoid operated counter whose response is quicker than themechanical counters of the prior art.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a highspeed mechanical counter which is solenoid operated but which does notdepend upon the solenoid to operate the counter but only to trigger thecounter mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theinvention partly broken away and exploded to show the details thereof;

FIG. 2 is a top plane view; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and lookingin the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings anormally off solenoid is operatively connected to the counter assembly12 all of which are mounted on a base 14 which, in the embodimentdisclosed, is one side of a container or box 16.

Solenoid 10 comprises a conventional coil 18 and a solenoid plunger 20biased by spring 22.

Counter assembly 12 comprises a counter wheel or disc 24, which isprovided with numerals on one face thereof and rotatable with a shaft26. These numerals are displayed in the embodiment shown, through anaperture 28 in the face plate 30 which is an end of the box 16.

To rotate the counter disc, the shaft 26 is also provided with a wafer32 both of which are rotated by a coil spring 34 attached to the shaftat 36 and to the box at 38. The wafer 32 is also provided with aplurality of apertures 40 spaced circumferentially on the wafer coaxialof shaft 26 and in which are disposed a plurality of detent pins 42.These detent pins 42 and apertures 40 are equally spaced and correspondin number and location to the numerals on the face of the counter discand engage a stop mechanism in the form of a fixed plate 44 juxtaposedthe wafer and canted as at 46 (FIG. 2) so as to engage the pins in onedirection as a stop and to cause retraction of the pins by its inclineplane action when the wafer is rotated in a coil spring windingdirection. As shown, the pins are spring biased in the direction of thesolenoid plunger 20 by a spider type spring 48, the fingers 50 of whichengage individually the heads 52 on each of the detent pins and urgethem in the direction of the solenoid. The heads 52, of course, preventthe detents from moving on through the wafer.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that to operate the counter,energization of the solenoid will cause the plunger 20 to move againstits bias spring 20 and en gage a detent pin 42 then seated against thestop 44 causing it to move in a direction against its bias spring 48, 50and thus be released from the stop. This will cause the coil spring 34to rotate the wafer and concommitantly the counter disc one unit, i.e.,until the subsequent or adjacent pin engages the stop mechanism sinceupon deenergization of the solenoid the plunger is pulled out of the wayby the spring 22. If the solenoid has not been deenergized, the plungerwill stop the subsequent or adjacent pin until the solenoid isdeenergized whereupon the pin will move until it strikes the stop.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the solenoid I0 triggers thecounter mechanism 12 and, in particular, pushes the detent pins againstthe springs 50 to permit the coil spring 34 to rotate the wafer in acounterclockwise direction, during the counter assembly as in FIG. I,with a concommitant rotation of the counter disc 24 so that the numerals1 through 0 are brought into view of the aperture 28. In order for thecounter to have a continuous operation any suitable means can beutilized to rewind the coil spring, a shaded pole-type motor being shownat 60, schematically attached to the shaft 26 through any suitable typeclutching mechanism, not shown. If another type of means is used to windthe coil spring 34 this could be accomplished by simply rotating thewafer 32 and a suitable clutching mechanism, such as shown at 62, may beused so that the counter disc need not be rotated but could remain atits desired position.

What is claimed is:

l. A high speed mechanical counter comprising a solenoid having a springbiased plunger, a counter wafer rotatable on a shaft, spring meansaxially mounted on the shaft opposite said wafer operative to rotatesaid wafer and shaft, a plurality of spring biased detent means spacedradially on said wafer near the periphery thereof and carried by saidwafer so as to rotate therewith and engageable by said plunger onenergization of said solenoid, the number of detent means equaling thenumber of counts to be counted, stop means engageable by said detentmeans to position said wafer by preventing operation of said springmeans, said 'detent means being released from operation of said stopmeans when engaged by said plunger so as to allow rotation of said waferand detent means, and counter disc rotatable by said wafer with numeralstherein positionable by operation of said detent means, stop means andplunger.

2. The counter claimed in claim 1 wherein said spring means is a coilspring.

3. The counter claimed in claim 2 further including means to rewind saidspring.

4. The counter claimed in claim 1 wherein said detent means are axiallymovable pins axially aligned with said plunger and movable thereby.

S. The counter claimed in claim 1 wherein said counter disc ispositioned with respect to an aperture to be visible therethrough uponactuation of said stop means.

1. A high speed mechanical counter comprising a solenoid having a springbiased plunger, a counter wafer rotatable on a shaft, spring meansaxially mounted on the shaft opposite said wafer operative to rotatesaid wafer and shaft, a plurality of spring biased detent means spacedradially on said wafer near the periphery thereof and carried by saidwafer so as to rotate therewith and engageable by said plunger onenergization of said solenoid, the number of detent means equaling thenumber of counts to be counted, stop means engageable by said detentmeans to position said wafer by preventing operation of said springmeans, said detent means being released from operation of said stopmeans when engaged by said plunger so as to allow rotation of said waferand detent means, and counter disc rotatable by said wafer with numeralstherein positionable by operation of said detent means, stop means andplunger.
 2. The counter claimed in claim 1 wherein said spring means isa coil spring.
 3. The counter claimed in claim 2 further includiNg meansto rewind said spring.
 4. The counter claimed in claim 1 wherein saiddetent means are axially movable pins axially aligned with said plungerand movable thereby.
 5. The counter claimed in claim 1 wherein saidcounter disc is positioned with respect to an aperture to be visibletherethrough upon actuation of said stop means.